Fragility
by Tai Kuroba
Summary: 2 part Drabble series: What if Ryou had never been free?
1. Part One

The moon soared high above Domino City, beatifically giving her rays to dispel the shadows below. As she approached the Kame Game shop, however, she found even her brightest rays could not dispel the Shadows gathered there. Troubled, she lingered in the sky, doing her feeble best to scatter the Darkness that even the sun could not. Abruptly, they receded and she moved on, content that all was normal.

Inside the shop, two figures slumped to the ground, one only just conscious, the other still as death. A third figure materialized, translucent in the newly restored moonbeams and knelt worriedly next to the lucid figure, _"Other Me, are you okay?"_

The reply came slowly, and was stilted with harsh breathing, "Doing- just fine... Partner." He held up the object in his hand and listened to the gentle clink of the bangles which dangled from it, "I guess we have another- Item now."

Yugi glanced toward the other body, _"He said his name was Bakura, right? What a nasty piece of work. I wonder why he wanted the Puzzle so badly?"_

"I don't suppose we'll ever know," the spirit in his body mused dryly, "At least this thief won't be troubling us again." His mirthless chuckle was cut off by a bout of coughing.

Yugi started guiltily, _"Other me, you're hurt! We've got to get bandages on you..."_

"It's nothing, Partner. I am healing already, you see?" And indeed, when he pulled his hand away from his stomach, not much was left of the ugly wound but blood and a few wisps of Shadow. "Although I can't say the same for him..."

Two sets of eyes turned to the prone form lying under Yugi's 3rd grade portrait. A sticky pool of blood was forming under his head, staining his white hair. Yugi's eyes widened, _"Oh god, Other Me... There's a body in my house! What are we going to do with him?"_

"Calm down, Partner, it's not like he's dead..."

_"Oh right, just SOULESS! That's so much better. How are we going to explain the comatose stranger to my Grandpa?"_

"Look, I'll think of something, just-" the spirit cocked his head "Did you hear something?"

A weak moan issued from the no-longer-unconscious boy and Yugi promptly flipped, _"I thought you took his soul! You definitely bet your soul. Other Me, why is he waking up?_

"Partner, be quiet." The spirit's eyes narrowed and he stood, shaking off any lingering stiffness. He stalked over to his fallen foe and planted a heavy boot on the boy's chest just as his unfocused brown eyes fluttered open. The white-haired boy took one look at the furious Yami and cringed, bowing his head in submission and pleading in a small voice, "P-please don't hurt me!"

_'Other Me, he's...'_

'I know, Partner. That isn't Bakura. This Item must have housed a Spirit.' Yami stepped back, and the child curled in on himself as if to ward off blows. Yami adopted his gentlest tone, "I'm not going to hurt you." He glanced at Yugi, looking vaguely uncomfortable, "Erm... What is your name?"

The boy uncurled slightly, but refused to meet the spirit's eyes, "Ryou, sir."

Yami reached out to help him up, but Ryou flinched away. Helplessly, Yami closed his eyes, _'Your turn, Partner.'_

There was a flash of light, and then Yugi was the one holding out a hand. Ryou had watched the whole process with wide eyes and rasped, "The Darkness is gone." He took Yugi's hand shakily, "You're... Like me?"

Yugi's eyes were compassionate as he gently helped Ryou up, noting with worry that the boy was shaking, "Yes. We want to help you." Ryou seemed incredulous so Yugi continued, "I promise. We are not your enemies." The doubt remained in the boy's eyes as Yugi led him forward. As he tried to take a step he gasped in pain, and the trembling grew worse.

Two seconds later, Ryou fainted.


	2. Part Two

"You sure he's gonna be here Anzu?"

"For the _thousandth_ time Jonouchi, yes! I called him and he told me that he'd meet us here at three. It's two forty-five. Be patient, please."

The blond sulked against the pillar of the arcade building, "I know ya did, but it's been three days since he's been to school and I can't help but worry-"

Anzu cut him off, "Hey there he is!" She waved to the distinctive figure of their friend and all frustration was forgotten as they greeted him excitedly. The trio fell into step easily and chatted as they made their way inside, but the reunion was halted as they noticed the very muscular stranger who seemed to be trying to hide behind Yugi- and failing miserably, as he was a good four inches taller than their diminutive friend.

"Er... Yug'. Who's this?" Yugi's became fixed and he glanced worriedly over his shoulder at the white haired boy latched onto his arm and coaxed him out into the open.

"Jounouchi, Anzu... Meet Ryou Bakura. He's going to be staying with me for a while." Yugi watched anxiously as the two absorbed the fact that their best friend seemed to have gained a rather clingy roommate.

Anzu was the first to recover, "It's very nice to meet you, B-" Yugi shook his head quickly, "Ahem, Ryou-kun!" She smiled cheerfully at the boy, who seemed intimidated by the flashing lights and noise of the arcade. "Would you like to dance?"

Ryou glanced at Yugi, who nodded, and he timidly stepped forward, "Thank you, Anzu-san." She led him off to the Dance Dance Revolution machine, talking cheerfully about anything and everything.

Yugi watched them go with grateful eyes, "Thank god for Anzu, I don't know what I'd do without her."

Jonouchi snorted, "Yeah, she's a peach." Yugi sighed, but Jonouchi pushed on, "Spill Yug'. What's his deal?"

"Okay. Well... You remember that thief the Other Me thought he'd noticed lurking around? He finally made his move."

Brown eyes widened, "Ya don't mean that Ryou was the thief! That guy didn't look like he could take on a bunny, no way is he the 'evil presence' ya sensed."

Yugi laughed, "Well, you're sort of right. Ryou wasn't the thief. Not exactly." Yugi's face was serious as he looked at Jonouchi, "He's like me. He had a Millennium Item, the Millennium Ring, and it has a Spirit. But... It's not like the Other Me. At least, not like he is now."

"What d'ya mean?" Jonouchi asked.

Yugi got quiet, "Remember how, when I first got the Puzzle, a lot of strange stuff happened? People going crazy, or dying? The Other Me did that, back before he was... stable. And Jou, I don't think Ryou's spirit has _ever_ been stable."

"Oh." The blond said. Then, "_Oh_." They were silent for a moment, watching Anzu try to teach Ryou how to play DDR. Ryou was quite coordinated but seemed awkward in his body, like he didn't know how to use it.

"He says he got the Ring when he was eight." Yugi said, almost absentmindedly as he watched, "That means for eight years, Ryou hasn't been in control of his body. His spirit kept him chained in the Shadows, never let him out." Yugi's eyes were haunted, "Do you know what that does to a person? We aren't meant for the Shadow Realm, it damages us irreparably."

Jonouchi nodded solemnly, "Yeah, I know. Only been there a few times, and that's more than enough." Yugi looked at Jonouchi guiltily, but the blond cut him off, "Don't apologize, I'm happy ta' do it."

"That's why I've been gone from school. Ryou's been sick, and it took us a while to figure out how to help him. Without the Other Me, he probably would've died. Turns out the Shadows are... addicting. Ryou's grown dependent on the ibond/i" Yugi spat the word distastefully, "He had with his spirit, he needs it or he'll die. So the Other Me agreed to be kind of a surrogate for him, give him little shots of Shadow when he needs them-"

A scream caused both boys to whirl around. Anzu was trying desperately to support Ryou, who seemed to have collapsed. Jonouchi turned worriedly to Yugi who growled, "Speak of the Devil," and stalked toward the commotion. The Other Yugi, then. Jonouchi hurried after his friend, who had knelt next to the convulsing Ryou and was cursing under his breath.

Anzu looked to Jonouchi and started babbling, "I don't know what happened, we were dancing and he was finally starting to loosen up and have a good time but then he just fell and-"

"It's fine, it'll be okay, Yug' said he knew what to do when this happened, he'll fix it," Jonouchi reassured the slightly hysterical girl. And indeed Yugi seemed to have everything under control. He carefully lifted Ryou's head, brushed his hair out of his eyes, bent down and... Kissed him tenderly.

Anzu and Jonouchi looked on in shock. Jonouchi swallowed dryly, "Well. I guess that explains how Yug' gives Ryou his medicine."


End file.
